Cultural: The death of Lamoni’s father at this time makes his hand to hand combat with Ammon even more fascinating. We do not know the amount of time that has passed between the two events, but it would be hard to see more than a few years. This may suggest an illness rather than old age as the cause of death of the king.
It is very interesting to notice that this verse has so thoroughly changed the definition of Lamanite in Mormon’s mind. Just a few verses ago, “Lamanite” included Lamoni’s father who was king of the Lamanites, and all of the cities that both did and did not accept the gospel. Once they are converted and change their name, they are no longer Lamanite. In that instant, it appears, they changed in Mormon’s eyes from Lamanite to something other – Anti-Nephi-Lehies. The smaller number of “Lamanites” who are led by Amulonites and Amalekites, both of whom used to be Nephites, have now become the definition of “Lamanite” for Mormon in these passages. This simply further corroborates the flexibility and dynamic application of the term Lamanite.